Crashes at X Games put snowmobile brothers in hospital

Jan. 25, 2013
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Caleb Moore crashes during the snowmobile freestyle finals Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, during the first day of the X Games Aspen 2013. The Competition runs through Sunday at Aspen's Buttermilk. / Christian Murdock, AP

Caleb Moore, 25, was the first competitor to try to run his sled through a course of jumps in 75 seconds here at Buttermilk Mountain. But attempting a back flip late in the run, Moore and his sled did not get far enough down the landing ramp.

The snowmobile's skis planted atop the ramp, knocking Moore off. After rotating 360 degrees, the skis of the sled landed on Moore as he slid down the ramp.

He was knocked unconscious but walked off after several minutes on the course. He was taken to Aspen Valley Hospital, and during evaluation he developed bleeding on the heart.

According to an ESPN spokesman, Moore was flown to Grand Junction, Colo., where he had emergency surgery Friday morning. He remained in intensive care with a heart contusion and was in stable condition Friday evening.

Moore told the New York Times before the race that he estimated he'd had 10 concussions. The one he suffered Thursday night would be his 11th.

Later in the first run of the competition, Moore's younger brother crashed his snowmobile on a jump. On the same landing ramp that Caleb had been injured on, Colten Moore was thrown hard off the back of his snowmobile after over-rotating on a back flip.

Colten Moore, 23, was taken off on a gurney and transported to Aspen Valley Hospital. Moore suffered pubic distasis, or separation of the pelvis, according to a spokesman. It will not require surgery.

The Texas brothers performed in ATV demos around the world before taking up snowmobiling four years ago. Caleb Moore medaled in his first Winter X Games in 2010. He has four X Games medals, including a silver in the best trick competition 2011. Colten Moore won the freestyle competition last year.

Daniel Bodin also crashed his sled during the run, jumping up immediately after it hit him. His snowmobile was too damaged to make a second run, but Bodin said on the ESPN broadcast that he was fine.